Rivers

Towns

Upper Grey River/Māwheranui - Reefton

The Grey district is known as Māwhera in Te Reo Māori. Māwhera means widespread. Nui means many or big and iti means little hence the names Māwheranui for the larger Grey River and Māwheraiti for the Little Grey River.

The Grey River/Māwheranui begins in the Southern Alps as the Blue Grey River, at Lake Cristobel, which is a day’s hike in from the Lewis Pass.

The part of the river that is known as the Upper Grey begins where the Blue Grey and Brown Grey rivers meet and ends 25kms south of Reefton. The Upper Grey River/Māwheranui is renowned as trout fishing heaven. You may choose to include trout fishing on your journey.